EASY MARTINI RECIPES
There are few cocktails that demonstrate “classic” as much as a martini.
Said to have been one of the first true cocktails, the martini dates back to the late 1800s and is a simple, yet elegant cocktail made with just two key ingredients, gin and vermouth.
While the martini has been a globally popular drink for more than a century, you can’t escape the fact that the James Bond films certainly helped its cause. Who can truly claim to have not heard Bonds famous line before when referring to how he likes his martini. We all have.
Well, if you too want to bring out your English gentleman side and knock up one of these classic cocktails at home then read on. For a cocktail that has only two key components, we have a variety of recipes that are both easy to make and guaranteed to have you feeling like a cocktail mixologist from the comfort of your own home!
EASY MARTINI RECIPES
The martini is one of the simpler cocktails you can make and as a result, you don’t need an extensive list of spirits or equipment when making variations on the classic recipe.
Below is our comprehensive list of easy martini recipes that anyone should be able to make at home.
MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
A really simple and easy martini recipe is of course the original recipe!
While the origins are not fully confirmed, we do know that the Martini originated in the late 1800s – early 1900s. Many claim it to be an updated version of the earlier Martinez or Marguerite which also made use of orange bitters in the cocktail.
Before all the variations hit bar-tops around the world, a true Martini was made to be simple… and dry.
While ratios are often argued with no clear winner, we know that a Martini is going to be very personal to individual tastes and variety is surely limited when a regular Martini is made with just two ingredients.
Whether it be very dry at a ratio of 2:1 (gin to vermouth) or a more balanced ratio of 1:1, you’d need to test yourself and see what tastes best on your palate. The best recipe will call for a London Dry gin after the original use of Old Tom Gin in the late 1800s.
INGREDIENTS
50ml London Dry Gin
25ml Dry Vermouth
Garnish – Olives
HOW TO MAKE A MARTINI
Chill a Martini glass in the fridge/freezer for 30 minutes prior to making this cocktail. Add the gin and vermouth to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until the ingredients are mixed and chilled. Strain into your chilled Martini glass and garnish with 3 olives on a cocktail stick.
VODKA MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
For those that appreciate the classic martini, but can’t appreciate the dry taste of a London Dry gin, a popular alternative is the Vodka Martini (or Vodkatini).
While I say that the Vodka Martini is a popular alternative, if modern bartending is anything to go by, the Vodka Martini has actually taken over from gin as the key ingredient! Many bartenders will list “martini” on the menu and serve it with vodka as the base ingredient – much to the disdain of classic bartenders!
As a martini is only made from two ingredients, changing just one drastically alters the taste and profile of the entire drink. A Vodka Martini is therefore the solution for people who are not the biggest fans of a dry cocktail but still want to enjoy a classic, James Bond-style of course.
INGREDIENTS
50ml Vodka
25ml Dry Vermouth
Garnish – Olives
HOW TO MAKE A VODKA MARTINI
Chill a Martini glass in the fridge/freezer for 30 minutes prior to making this cocktail. Add the vodka and vermouth to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until the ingredients are mixed and chilled. Strain into your chilled Martini glass and garnish with 3 olives on a cocktail stick.
DIRTY MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
Of all the martini recipes and variations out there, the Dirty Martini is arguably the most popular. Invented in the early 1900s, the original Dirty Martini was created by muddling olives (the main garnish) in the glass to give the martini a more complex flavour profile.
This then led to bartenders using olive brine as a key ingredient in the original cocktail and thus, the Dirty Martini was born.
For those looking for a more premium cocktail, we’d recommend buying cocktail olive juice. This is olive juice specifically made for a Dirty Martini and allows you to use exact measurements for a consistent taste (no one has time to be muddling olives). A refined and easy martini recipe for home.
INGREDIENTS
50ml London Dry Gin
15ml Vermouth
15ml Olive Brine
Garnish – Olives
HOW TO MAKE A DIRTY MARTINI COCKTAIL
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds to combine, chill, and dilute the ingredients and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Finally, garnish the cocktail with 2-3 olives on a cocktail stick.
ESPRESSO MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
The Espresso Martini is a much-loved cocktail by late-night drinkers and actually originates from a party culture. Said to have been invented at Soho Brasserie by the globally known cocktail bartender, Dick Bradsell, the Espresso Martini was supposed to be the caffeine hitting solution for partying celebrities and supermodels that frequented Soho.
The coffee and alcohol inspired cocktail is the perfect recipe for those that need a late-night pick-me-up while partying and the buzz it gives has led to it becoming one of the best “martini” recipes favoured by those ready to spend the night on the dancefloor.
While it’s very much a party cocktail, the garnish for an Espresso Martini actually has an interesting and spiritual meaning. The 3 coffee beans floated on top is an Italian addition said to represent the three blessings: Health, wealth, and happiness.
The Espresso Martini is a delicious and easy martini recipe.
INGREDIENTS
50ml Vodka
25ml Coffee Liqueur
50ml Fresh Espresso Coffee
5ml Gomme
Garnish – 3 Coffee Beans
HOW TO MAKE AN ESPRESSO MARTINI
Place a martini glass in the fridge/freezer to chill 30 minutes before making the drink. Freshly brew a double shot of espresso coffee (preferably using a coffee machine) and add all ingredients above to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until all ingredients are sufficiently chilled and slightly frothed and strain into your chilled Martini glass. To garnish, float 3 coffee beans on top.
FRENCH MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
The French Martini offers a gentler and more flamboyant variation on the classic Martini cocktail. Using Chambord and fruit juice (pineapple) to give a sweeter drink over the traditional dry Martini, it’s important to note that this is not a cocktail for those seeking something purely sweet.
The ingredients are not as sweet as you might be expecting, especially when you see the pinkish colour for the end product. Therefore, we’d recommend adding flavoured vodka like vanilla to just give the drink slightly more of a sweet taste.
Some people will also add a splash of champagne to this cocktail but this would need to be adjusted depending on personal taste.
INGREDIENTS
40ml Vanilla Vodka
20ml Chambord Liqueur
60ml Fresh Pineapple Juice
Garnish – Pineapple Wedge
HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH MARTINI
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until the ingredients are chilled and strain into a chilled Martini glass. To finish, garnish with a pineapple wedge.
PORNSTAR MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE
We’re finishing off this list with an easy martini recipe that is a little more complex than the others, yet still follows a similar method for making it. Therefore, once you’ve mastered some others on this list, you’ll then be ready to move onto the famous Pornstar Martini.
Created very recently (2003), by cocktail bartender and consultant Douglas Ankrah, the Pornstar Martini has a rather crude name but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a household cocktail name. The Pornstar Martini could not be further from its namesake cocktail – the Martini.
Where a Martini is dry with few ingredients, the Pornstar Martini is sweet with more than a handful of ingredients so we’re not quite sure where the resemblance lies? All we do know is that this drink started in London’s Townhouse bar and went on to become a global drink within the last few decades so we recommend trying it yourself to see what all the fuss is about.
INGREDIENTS
40ml Vanilla Vodka
15ml Passion Fruit Liqueur
15ml Vanilla Gomme
10ml Lime Juice
20ml Passion Fruit Puree
50ml Champagne
Garnish – ½ Passion Fruit
HOW TO MAKE A PORNSTAR MARTINI
Add all ingredients except for the champagne into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to combine, chill and dilute all ingredients and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with half a passion fruit and serve with a double shot glass of champagne on the side.
